Boris Johnson has told London’s transport bosses to open bus lanes to motorcycles.
The new London Mayor also condemned his predecessor Ken Livingstone for changing safety findings to block the move.
Answering questions from the London Assembly yesterday, Johnson said: “I have talked to Transport for London about this.
"It would be an exaggeration to say that they are enthusiastic but they are of course very happy to go ahead with this idea.”
Asked whether Livingstone should be condemned for having a safety report rewritten to suit his views, Johnson said: “Of course.
"Throughout these proceedings I’m willing to listen and willing to take on board the views of others and not to be driven solely by dogma.”
Johnson said accidents had fallen where bus lanes had been opened to bikes. He added: “I think the decision that I’ve announced to go ahead and allow motorcycles in bus lanes will be not only welcomed but will also lead to absolutely no increase in danger on the roads.”
The mayor’s office said legal measures and new road signs were necessary before the move could go ahead.
Livingstone sparked outrage in March by announcing bus lanes would not be opened to motorcycles despite a leaked report stating collisions fell 42% on trial routes.
His office published a “final” version with before-and-after casualty rates removed.
Matt
Thought you might like to see the reply I got from Boris Johnson's office re the Bus Lanes etc. I work next door to City Hall and thought I'd sneak in an email with my company address on it so to make the point close to home so to speak ...
The reply at the bottom has a contact name. Just a thought!!!
(Oh and they can't even get the date right of my email)
.............
Posted At: 30 July 2008 09:32 Posted To: PLUShooter Conversation: Bus Lanes Subject: Bus Lanes Importance: High <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
Mr Johnson <o:p></o:p>
I live and work in London and am a motorcyclist. I was very put out when Ken Livingstone would not entertain the idea of motorcycles being allowed to use bus lanes. When the election came about I was happy to hear you agree that motorcyclist should be allowed to use them. This was one of the main reason why I voted for you. Please, please stop pushing aside the decision for us to use the bus lanes. It was proven that the accident rates for motorcyclists went down when trailed. It is bad enough out there when you have to take your life in your hands to bypass traffic that just does not look out for us and quite often does not like us even being on the road. We are doing our bit by being greener and a tank of petrol for us does not chuck out as much pollutants as the average car, as you know.<o:p></o:p>
Please let us use the bus lanes. You would make an awful lot of people a lot safer and happier in London and surrounding areas.<o:p></o:p>
Regards <o:p></o:p>
___________________________________
From: enquiries (ST) [mailto:Londonstreets@tfl.gov.uk] Sent: 04 August 2008 14:22To: Ms BabbsSubject: Motorcycles in Bus Lanes-Ref:SM039757/1
<o:p></o:p>
Dear Ms Babbs <o:p></o:p>
Thank you for your e-mail, addressed to the Mayor, dated 30
June 2008 regarding motorcycles in bus lanes. It has been passed to Transport for London for a reply.<o:p></o:p>
The Mayor has indicated his wish to allow motorcycles to use bus lanes and we are in discussions with his officials about how we can take this forward. Other areas of the country and several parts of London are already doing this successfully. <o:p></o:p>
TfL is responsible for managing the Transport for London Road Network which covers five per cent of London's road network and 40 per cent of London's bus lanes.<o:p></o:p>
Further consultation must happen before motorcycles can legally use Transport for London’s bus lanes. And the Mayor will listen very carefully to the different views expressed on this proposal.<o:p></o:p>
Unfortunately, at present, I am unable to provide any timescales within which this will occur but I can assure you that we will work as swiftly as possible to implement the Mayor's instructions.<o:p></o:p>
Once again, thank you for taking the time to contact us. If I can be of any further assistance please do not hesitate to get in touch.<o:p></o:p>
Yours sincerely <o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
Sophie Achillini Customer Service Advisor-London Streets Transport for London Surface Transport Communications
<o:p> </o:p>
bout time works well in Bristol far as i can see no probs at all only prob is the orange surface paint comin of the rd which may cause a slip but your not goin that fast anyway! jus gotta watch out for the odd motorist suddenly deciding to use it!an of course taxi's dodgin in an out! an babbsy i honestly dont come across any resentment from motorists they seem happy to move over an most seem considerate you get the odd boy racer an BMW driver who wants to beat yu at the lights but on the whole i get no problems! of couse they may not see yu sometimes an we mus take this in when riding an be ready for the occasional blind Pue!!but most dont hate us there jeulous we can move an they cant an maybe the odd one gets miffed of course! maybe its different in London!
I am of course all for allowing motorcycles into bus lanes.
However, I also know that the procedures that must take place prior to doing this are very lengthy.
Each bus lane is subject to what is called a Traffic Regulation Order, TRO for short. This is a legal order detailing the manner in which the lane can be used and without it in place the Police are powerless to enforce it.
In order to change a TRO a lengthy consultation and approval process must be undertaken.
Each individual TRO must be advertised as being changed, both on the street itself and in local press. This is to offer members of the public the right to object to the change. Once this period is over, a further, shorter period must elapse to allow for late objections, ie those that were made during the objection period, but due to delays in the post etc did not get to the highway authority in time.
If no objections are raised then the highway authority will request the legal department within the council to "make" the order. This involves solicitors and solicitors can take their time!
If objections are raised then a number of things can happen depending on the grounds of the objection and the status of the objector. For example, an objection from the Ambulance Brigade on the grounds that they park there whilst unloading near-dead people holds far more weight than an objection from Mr Banks down the road because he sometimes leaves his car there.
Needless to say, objections can greatly extend the length of time it takes to make an order.
Once an Order is made, a date is set for the implementation of the Order and this is usually dependant on when the council's contractors can get in to amend signage, lining etc. This in itself is often dependant heavily on resources such as manpower and stock.
All in all, an alteration to a TRO can take anything from 3 months, which is very good, to several years!
So, I'd suggest a little leniancy towards Mr Johnson for the time being.
Yeah I like Boris, I'd sooner have a bit of a shagging rascal with character in charge than a vehicle hating communist minority pandering grease slick.
I didn't like Ken. LOL
Fortunately I no longer have to drive in central London on a regular basis, but you do see some sights to make your hair curl... I've seen cars and vans swerve outwards, just as bikes are filtering past them... OK, so it could be that the drivers are completely unaware, but there are times when you see it happen that you just think it HAD to be purposeful.
I've also seen vehicles move a couple of feet across, so that they're practically touching the traffic islands in the middle of the road, just as a bike is seen coming up the outside... You have to wonder...
Then again, you get to see some pretty inconsiderate riders around too, including the ruddy despatch rider who nearly mowed me down while I was standing ON a traffic island waiting to cross - to get out of his way, I had to jump backwards off the island... luck saw to it that I didn't leap backwards straight into the path of a vehicle.
Central London's not a lot of fun for driving, riding or walking!
all the cities in Spain were a doddle i jus plonked meself behind scooters to start with biut soon progressed to bein first in the queue! no one blocked me at all they jus accept yu as part of life they will honk there horns if your abit indecisive as a matter of couse but i dont think theres any malice behind it!an yu can park where yu like[loads of mc bays] even mc bays on the pavements! an to have a business suited city gent flyin past yu tie helmet straps an jkt flappin on a motorway on a large cc scooter is a sight!!think i'd like to live in saville!
Seville is my all-time favourite city... so far... obviously I've not visited every city on the planet yet ;o)
Perfect for bikes, but not too clever for cars in the old town! Hehehe!
& you're right - it is just part of life... London just seems to be filled with people who think nobody else has the right to be on the road other than themselves. Folk practically faint when you give them right of way or wave them through ;o)
I just drive along with a ready smile for every time someone cuts me up and am the epitome of courteous driving... I keep thinking others will follow suit one day... then I wake up! ;o)
Well there was some fair comments made and a good explanation from geoffb. Don't get me wrong I do like Boris better than Ken. Have yet to see him walking/riding to work yet. Mind you Ken has been spotted quite a bit in the gym next to city hall. perhaps he finds it hard to break away... lol
Boris rocks... Ken's like one of those poor people who get laid off from their job of 40 years and still keep turning up every day, clutching their sandwiches forlornly...
*shuts up before she actually starts feeling sorry for the man*
have to go back methinks!fondest memory is a buxom blonde filling my tank! how shallow is that?all that old architetre an thats all i remember!!mmmmmmmmmmm!
I don't know how shallow your tank is - would you like to borrow my tape measure? ;o)
It's a beautiful city... The buxom blondes don't figure highly in my memories of it... then again, I was there WITH one on both visits... Next trip in 2011, for her 40th ;o)
It doesn't matter what Boris or Ken say,as we all know its the taxi drivers who own Londons roads.
Only because the bastards won't let me have an APC!!!
We've had open bus lanes here in Reading awhile now and it's absolutely fantastic.
They've just opened up this little 'bus gate' - a short, almost pointless feeder lane about the length of a bus - at the end of Oxford Road, which means we can take the main route into town and to the bike park round the corner, without having to piss about on the IDR with the rest of the muppetts!!!!
I remember when they officially opened the bus gates in Leeds' City Centre Loop.
Brilliant system, allowing buses to drive all the way round the loop but sending all other traffic out to the Inner Ring Road at strategic locations to reduce City Centre traffic.
Only problem with it was they opened them at midday and forgot to warn anyone. There was a notice in the local paper and that was it - no radio warnings, no tv warnings, nothing.
As such everyone leaving the City set off home on their normal routes around the loop road, hit the bus gates and were stopped by the Police and told they could go no further! And because it was one way, they couldn't turn around either lol!
This of course had the effect of creating massive confusion, huge traffic jams and general total and utter chaos.
They hadn't even told most of the highways department that they would be opening them that day!! I like to remember it as the day that Leeds Stopped!!!
It took me over two hours to do a thirty minute journey and I was on the bike that day! I think that some people in cars are still stuck there fifteen years later lol!
One of the Directors for Highways was on the news that night apologising - which was ironic because most people that it affected probably weren't home yet to watch him!
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